Deja Vooly Cooly
by CSI Productions
Summary: Nothing amazing at all... well, unless you count the robots, guitars, and aliens...
1. Rolling Bassline

Rolling Bass Line  
  
That time, it all felt like a dream. I had learned everything while I was asleep, and when I woke I woke up I was more that I started as. It took me time, but I understood Haruko's words. Nothing amazing ever happened in Mabase, nothing out of the ordinary... not until Haruko was here. I fell in love with the extraordinary, and lusted for it. My childish mind and heart, the thrill it gave me, that change of pace when everything became fantastic for seconds. Now, I realize what Mamimi meant when she said she'd overflow, and then something amazing did happen, and I can't be sure it wasn't because of Tasuku.  
  
My brother was something amazing. He happened here. He left, and I was alone. Mamimi and I were stranded together, and Tasuku, who had become part of Mabase, disappeared. Mabase became a hinderance, and Tasuku was an unnatainable goal that any cat or I could never live up to. What neither Mamimi, nor I understood was that no one could be Tasuku but himself. I had to be Naota.  
  
It took Haruhara Haruko to make me understand what it was I had to be, and who it was I had to be. She did the same thing for many of us. I look back, and I remember I called Haruko a child once. As odd, loud, and wild as Haruko may have been, life was not a chore to her. No matter how selfish she may have been, Haruko gave me one thing, and that one thing is myself. Each life she touched, she changed... and up to the very end she forced me to become me.  
  
Maybe the man with the eyebrows... Amarao, or something... maybe he just never learned. Maybe it was that he could not see. Or maybe when she first entered his life, Haruhara Haruko, or Raharu as he liked to call her, did not know these things either. He said things I cannot be sure to be true... he mentioned Atomsk, and so did she. He said she loved him. He told me a lot of things. I don't think they are all true.  
  
What I know is that Haruko wanted something. What I know is that something was Atomsk. What I know is that she wants him for a reason. What I know is that I was the only way she could get him. What I do not know is whom he was, where he came from, or what any of that has to do with me. I think it all has to do with Tasuku.  
  
When Tasuku left, they made the factory. When Tasuku left, I lost myself. When Tasuku left, Mamimi tried to make me him. Then, when Tasuku left, Haruko came.  
  
Now, I realize what it means to be a child, and I am no longer ashamed of myself. I am no longer going to be unhappy. Nothing amazing ever happens here, everything is ordinary. We cross the bridge over the river just the same each day. Seasons change, and before I know it, Haruko is a memory. I will not forget Haruko though. I will always remember her down to the last detail. I brought home her guitar, and I placed it in my room where it collects dust. It's more useful to hit things with than it is to play anyhow.  
  
Nothing amazing happens in Mabase, everything is ordinary, and... that's okay with me. In time, even the extraordinary becomes routine, and even the most random becomes normal. Haruko was amazing once, and Tasuku was amazing too. and even though it all happens the same, every day, every where, I'm still dazzled by his swing.  
  
Mabase was calm and quiet in the winter usually. No snow or rain yet, just cold clouds. It was the same as always there, like usual. Well, the roads were all new, that was different. Most of them had been torn to shreds by an earthquake caused by the ground caving underneath the weight of a dilapidated old factory on the town's outskirts.  
  
Of course, even stuck a couple hundred feet into Japan's surface and nestled on the edge of town, the Medical Mechanica plant still cast enough of a shadow to prevent certain plants from even growing for nearly a mile's distance. Of course, that was normal. Had been that way for years.  
  
Eye-witneses will say that the earthquake in Mabase was terrible! Never a bigger one! Unless you talk to the right ones, cause some people still insist it wasn't a new fault line that caused the ordeal. Some blame demons or other monsters, and some say that the devil appeared, fiery and fierce, and shook the medical mechanica plant violently, killing hundreds.  
  
Few could guess it was a twin-neck combination of a six string Flying-V and a Gibson EB-0 (a really rare find in the color red, since they were black during production, or at least the 1961 model was) that caused the quake. No one knew that an alien toting a suped up left-handed, deep blue (the official name of the color is Azureglo, by the way) Rickenbacker 4001 bass that provoked it. All in all, it was ended in a few seconds, and something made a big crash.  
  
There used to be a big hand there too, everyone knows about that. It was gone after the quake, and everyone who doesn't say it was the devil doesn't have any better explaination.  
  
Still, even with all that, Mabase was pretty normal. The streets were new, and the factory was still there, but it didn't seem to work anymore.  
  
Well, it was quiet anyway, until you tuned in to the loud gunning of an engine. One could swear it was an airplane or something, something big, and with the power of a spce shuttle. God knows anything that fast could reach the outer rim of the galaxy in seconds flat, and probably with good gas mileage. It'd be an inconsistancy of course, though cause what moped has the cpability to shield someone from the vacuum of space?  
  
Well, it was a designer moped from Italy a brand called Vespa, which means wasp. The inconsistancies were unimportant, cause the fantastic reality is more interesting, and besides they get away with it in video games. Anime too, granted the low-end stuff like DBZ.  
  
Nandaba Kamon, who ran a bakery nearby, would probably have a thing or two to say if he could see that vespa fly through space. It was odd, wasn't it? Sayajin can't breath in space like Frieza, but Bardock could do it, and he could even talk! Then again, they blew up the moon more than once in that show, but who's counting?  
  
Nandaba Kamon was oblivious to the yellow Vespa's landing trajectory though, and he never got to see it touch down and skid to a halt on the bridge over the river, much to the astonishement of the people nearby. Kamon would have paid more attention to the rider than the bike, anyhow, though.  
  
Sat atop the Vespa was rider in a red vest of sorts, it looked like a dress almost, due to its length, but it zipped down the front. She or she as the bust size would lead you to believe thus far, and we could also base this on body shape, was wearing a black pair of pants. Her boots were kneehigh, white, and had three-inch heels. She wore a white shirt, and her hands were gloved in yellow. Her face was hidden away by her riding helmet, and goggles, but strands of off pink, nearly peach colored hair poked out here and there from beneath.  
  
She was here for a reason, which is usually a given for anyone who braves the reaches of space on an Intallian scooter, and it had a lot to do with the guitar case (specially made for a Gibson EB1433 Explorer 1998 model) which she had strung over her back. Something had clicked in her a little less vague than before, and she had to find someone she'd left in Mabase a long time ago.  
  
She gunned her engine, and that really wasn't hard seeing as just a tap to the accelerator had her cruising along fast enough to find the bakery she was looking for, and her urgency wasn't a loaf of super-spicy curry bread.  
  
She had timed it all just right, so he would have arrived there moments before her. She'd zoom in, and surprise him. It'd be cake to work things her way then, and soon she'd be back in business, and no amount of designer Itallian transport would be needed to trek a few thousand light years across space to find kids she'd known years before.  
  
What's an Earth Year, anyhow? 365 planet roatations? It had taken longer than that for Haruko to get a liscence to drive her Vespa!  
  
Well, Kamon would have marveled at the girl underneath the helmet, and not because she was gorgeous (or what could be seen of her was, anyhow), but more because they knew eachother. Not well, mind you.  
  
It was more appropriate, however, that Kamon be sitting at home, minding the bakery while Naota was at school, and so he was, right up till Nao trudged through the door.  
  
"Ah, son, it's good to see you're back from school! They're starting a marathon run of Excel Saga tonight, and I want to be sure to see it all, so you're minding the shop tonight." Kamon wore glasses, which were convienent in times like this, cause he could slide them up his nose with one hand while pointing with the other and actually look a little slick. The man was in his mid forties then, and fortunate enough to have his hair, wheras his father had long ago lost his to the touches of old age.  
  
Well, some say it's age. A little secret is that it's really just all part of character design. Someone might just not look right with hair, as much as they want it. That's the way the world inconsistantly works though.  
  
"Huh?" Naota furrowed his brow, annoyedly. It was like that a lot; he'd get home and relieve his father from duty at the counter. He'd also do most of the chores, and help make dinner. Help Canti, their housekeeper, and not his father. Why he helped Canti was beyond Kamon, though, seeing as Canti was a robot, and therefore quite capable of the task on his own. Naota disagreed, however - Canti was an old friend, and he couldn't let him deal with the household chores all alone. So what if Grandpa and dad got lazy? "And what if I don't mind it, huh?"  
  
"If you don't mind, that's great!" Chimed Kamon, "Then you won't have a problem watching the bakery!"  
  
"But," Naota stuttered. His dad could be tricky, he had to hand him that, and before Nao could protest, his father had dissappeared from the shop and into their home. Naota gave up, dragging his feet behind the counter, and putting on an apron. He sat there for a few moments, silent, watching cars pass on the street outside. Same old Mabase.  
  
Suddenly, Naota had an idea, one that fit ironically into the future, but when does the past not? Well, Nao jumped up and dashed to his room in the house of theirs, which connects directly with the bakery. It was upstairs, and he raced to the center of his room to grab the blue guitar that lay there in the stand its owner had left so long ago.  
  
Guitar in hand, he dashed down to the counter once more, and sat in his chair, strumming it absently. He didn't know any songs, but it was fun to pluck the strings once in a great while. The action killed time, and there was a monster of time to kill in Mabase.  
  
Naota's mind was wandering again, and now it was getting itself lost, he was sure. There was a sound in his ears that sounded to much like someone playing a bass guitar for it to be his fingers against the strings of the Azurelgo Rickenbacker 4001 in his hands. He thought everything of it, but never bothered to move for fear he might disturb the bassline that was becoming more and more real in the world outside his head, and he knew from experience that there was a fine line between the two.  
  
Although he never played it, he could feel the vibrations, and he could sense the moving strings. With each strum of the bass growing louder, and the whole song coming at him like a bullet train, Naota had to flinch in wearyness of the bass he felt must be speeding towards his head, and who knows what might pop out if he got clocked right now?  
  
It took him a moment to realize he had heard that song before, and it was like the opening theme to a show he'd starred in. His life had been going for years already, but something new had started the day he heard that tune. It had all been in his head, but that rolling bass was like pure adrenalin, and the afteraffect was something real. Manifested music, more than notes, but sometimes nothing good. His song had played out a story that could have ended it all, but the music prevailed, and so did Naota. It was a climax like no other, the sum of all those before it, and then the closing credits had played.  
  
So, what now? Naota realized what was about to happen, but he opened his eyes too late, and the rolling bass had already become the sound of a motor rushing something long passed back into his life. His eyes became wide, and he was sure he heard the distinctive humm of that old yellow moped, its engine's roar beating all time, sounding just as lively as it had before. He couldn't have broke his gaze, no matter how hard he tried.  
  
He was sure of it; this was the same as before. The sound was coming closer, and any minute it would speed into view from the window of the bakery. Naota's heart rushed as the tune rolled on and finally arrived.  
  
An old VW bug zoomed past the front of the bakery, traveling much faster than legal in a residential. Naota felt his heart sink, and let his eyes fall. It was foolish, anyhow. What could he be hoping for? Her to be back? It was better that she never returned, and he knew it. Never before had he even hoped for Haruko's return. He knew she was going, and he knew she didn't need him any longer. He had accepted the truth, but in those sudden moments, the rolling bassline had taken him over just the same as it had on that bridge those years ago, when Haruko first met Naota.  
  
Naota let his head fall, his brown hair hanging just low enough to cover his eyes. He fought back tears, and let himself set dormant in though.  
  
There was a jingle as a customer pushed open the door to the old bakery and the clack of boots on the tile floor. Without looking up from the Rickenbaker in his lap, Naota said, "Can I help you with something?"  
  
"Well, I see you have french rolls, and Hawaiian Sweet Bread, but nothing with a kick." said the customer, a womam, Naota could tell by her voice, "Maybe you have something a little more wild, like jalepenio bread, or curry bread..."  
  
"Curry?" Naota's eyes widened a bit, but his head wouldn't lift from his chest. They hadn't sold Curry Bread since...  
  
"Maybe you have the... FLCL kind?"  
  
Naota's head shot up, and he fixed his gaze on the 'customer' who had walked in to his father's bakery. Befor the counter was a memory, someone who Naota had seen and known just the way they appeared now ages ago. Haruko was completely unaged, her hair dangling gracefully about her perfect face. Her lips were smooth, clean, crisp, and glistening... they always were. And the yellow, catlike eyes she saw through were fitting of her egocentric attitude.  
  
She was smiling at him! After all this time, there she was, with a new guitar strung over her back, and her lips curled into a smile! Haruko showed her teeth, turning her smile into a devilish smirk, and with a click of her tongue said, "So, whaddaya say, Takkun? The FLCL kind?"  
  
"You..." Naota was speechless. He had never pondered what his words would be to the girl, Haruko, when he saw her again. He didn't even think he WOULD see her. Naota stood up, lettign the Rickenbacker on his lap fall, and reached for Haruko with one hand, trying to touch her, make sure she was real and he wasn't dreaming.  
  
"Takkun!" Haruko grabbed Naota's hand, yanking him over the counter, and pulling him into a forceful embrace. Naota was still speechless, unable to choke out a word even if Haruko were to release her choking hold on him. Finally, Haruko held Naota loosely, letting him breath. Naota looked at her in the face, his eyes meeting hers, and he knew that she was real, even if she was a product of the music in his head.  
  
Naota was still unsure how to make himself speak, but he managed to sputter out some words finally, "Ha... Haruko-san?"  
  
"Takkun?" Haruko let her eyes settle on Naota's, and she smiled at him as he gazed longingly back at her.  
  
"Haruko..." Naota repeated, his lips unable to form a different word. It was silence after that, and the silence felt like eternity, as did each moment until Haruko spoke.  
  
"Takkun..." said Haruko smiling. Naota was limp in her arms, unable to fathom why this was happening, or how. He was dazzled.  
  
Afterall, Haruhara Haruko had left him ages ago, and now he had grown up. Haruko had returned from his past, and he felt like a kid once more. Nothing amazing happens in Mabase, but once something did, and now it's returned.  
  
I never expected that she'd ever return. It's like pulling a memory out of my head. Somehow, those memories felt trapped there, but now they have come out, and I know that even though it seems like a lie, these things are very possible.  
  
Thjat night, the scene was familiar, as my father and grandfather sat and chatted with a Haruko who had returned to us out of the blue. The difference was that this time, I joined in with their laughter, and never once wondered what it was Haruko wanted of me.  
  
Haruko had come back to Mabase, and I was kid again. What I didn't realize was that I had grown up, and no matter how much I wanted to be a child once more, I was not.  
  
Night had fallen over the sleepy Mabase, and to certain parts of the city, even the stars and moon did not shine. It was nearest to the base of the Medical Mechanica plant where it was darkest. Natural light was a mere memory to the foot of the gargantuan factory. Some places, not even the sun could make brighter.  
  
Even as things in Mabase went along the way they always did everywhere, though, something was definitely different than before. On the floor of Nandaba Naota's bedroom, two guitars were sprawled with their necks crossing. An Azureglo Rickenbacker 4001 (left-handed) and a Gibson EA1433 Explorer (left-handed), both lay out very symbolically, but completely unintentionally as they were.  
  
In the bottom bunk of a bed that was getting to be too short for him, Naota was trying to see through the bottom of the top bunk to make sure Haruko was still there, and it hadn't all been a dream. Her Vespa was parked out front, her gutiar lay on his floor, and she was sleeping over him. Once more, things were how they had been.  
  
"Haruko?" Naota asked, and she said nothing in response, "Haruko, I know you must be awake up there."  
  
"Nani?" Haruko's catlike face came poking out from the top bunk. She was smiling brightly, and her yellow eyes were glistening in the dim room.  
  
"Haruko." said Naota, softly, "Why are you back here?"  
  
"To be with you, Takkun!" Announced Haruko, her already ridiculous smile twisting larger.  
  
"Liar."  
  
"It's the truth," that moment was a rush as Naota felt the déjà vu, it had all happened once before, except last time he was playing a different role. The boy furrowed his brow, and stared hard at Haruko.  
  
"Then what is it that you want to use me for this time?"  
  
There was silence as Haruko's smile faded. In either complete spontaniety, or maybe because she really was trying to reinact it all, Haruko flipped over the bedrail, and landed perfectly on Naota's bed. The difference this time was that Naota took up a lot more of the bunk than before.  
  
"Takkun..." Haruko's eyes looked sad, and seriousness in her face told Naota that he had stung her. Remorse was a strong word for what he felt though, afterall she had left him years ago as nothing but a memory, and no matter how much of a dear memory she was, it was awfully ballsy for her to waltz back into his life so suddenly.  
  
"Don't call me that, my name is Naota."  
  
"But," Haruko paused for a second, looking for the words, "You've always been Takkun to me."  
  
Naota blushed, but he rolled away from the woman, so that he was facing the wall of his room. Without turning back to her, he closed his eyes and said, "You always lie like this, Haruko. I'll bet my life that you forgot me as soon as you left."  
  
"Then why am I back, Naota?" Haruko let one of her ungloved hands snake its way around Naota's body as she lay herself on the bed beside him. He stayed still as a rock as she nestled her body next to his.  
  
"You're the only one who knows that. You must want something, though... you wouldn't be here if that weren't so."  
  
"Naota's grown up," said Haruko, holding the boy close to her, "I know you've missed me, but you're not letting me hold you. You said you loved me once."  
  
"Maybe I did..."  
  
"Then do it again, Takkun." Haruko whispered, her lip grazing Naota's ear softly, "I remember the kiss, Takkun. It was the first time you ever kissed me, you know. I blushed."  
  
Naota could feel himself shake. Haruko's body pressed against his was making him forget who he was, and it took all he had to keep himself stationary. There was another strum in his head, that music starting up again.  
  
"Is it... Atomsk?"  
  
Haruko's eyes widened, and her lips closed tight on Naota's ear. Letting the soft skin loose from her mouth, Haruko withdrew a little and said, "You really have changed, Naota."  
  
"Answer my question, Haruko. Please?"  
  
"Nani?" Haruko looked confused for a second, but she quickly regained her composure, "Well, to tell you the honest truth, it has to do with Atomsk."  
  
"Is he here?"  
  
"No." Haruko said, solemnly, "but... He might be soon."  
  
"What do you need me for, Haruko?"  
  
"I need you... because I can't find someone."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Someone only you can lead me to, Takkun."  
  
"You keep changing my name."  
  
"Takkun keeps changing himself."  
  
"You're insane, Haruko."  
  
Naota and Haruko both laughed. Some things would never change, but after the laughter was just more silence, and Haruko was still there, with her arm around Naota. It took moments of dazed half-sleep before the awkwardness of the situation set in. Naota found himself blushing again, and Haruko was smiling devilishly behind him.  
  
Her lip found his ear again, and she bit on it softly before whispering, "So how about it, Takkun? Still want to fooly cooly?"  
  
"Haruko..." Naota said, pushing her away only enough for him to face her, "go to sleep."  
  
"Aww..." Haruko's catlike face frowned for only a second, then she smiled again and said, "Only if I can sleep here with Takkun."  
  
Naota raised an eyebrow at the girl, and gave half of a smirk. He knew there were two ways to deal with Haruko, and only on of them was ever easy, "You can sleep next to Naota, if you want."  
  
"Yay!" Haruko cheered, hugging him tightly.  
  
That night, Haruko slept there withherself snug to me, and I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been so stern. I was abrely able to hang on to myself, and I almost became what I was again.  
  
Maybe I was mature enough then to resist her, but I wasn't sure whether courage or cowardice had saved me from making any mistakes. After all, a girl like Haruhara Haruko who could be something entirely different than human is not someone easily forgotten. Something about her made me love her once, and part of me wanted more than just to accept her embrace.  
  
I knew deep inside that the bass line I heard in my head was not for me anymore. The past was done, and recreating it was not only childish, but also dangerous. I know I didn't realize then that repeating the past meant nothing good, but I could not find it in me to keep Haruko at bey forever, and I knew it.  
  
"Wakey, wakey, Takkun!" There was a reverberating noise like the banging of a drum, or maybe more like the banging of someones empty head. It echoed all over the Nandaba household with a low, bass thud that started the morning on an audibly powerful note. It had been a long time, but Haruko still swung like a pro, and the EA1433 Explorer was just as if not sturdier than it's predecessors when it came to beating something completely Fooly Cooly into Naota's skull.  
  
Naota woke suddenly, more with the noise than the pain. It hurt, but not like a hit would hurt, and more like a headache caused by sinuses. Maybe the inside of his mind was just sore from all the exposure it was getting to air suddenly though, since his brain had fallen out once again.  
  
As soon as Naota woke, and the pain was apparent, and obviously connected to the cherry finish of the masturful EA1433, he knew that it meant no turning back. Haruko's smile was sadistic, but it wasn't her own pain she was enjoying. Tilting her head to the side and narrowing her yellow eyes, Haruko spoke through daggerlike teeth, "Hehehehehe! That was nice, Takkun! I'm glad you let me sleep there, I haven't slept so well in ages."  
  
"Hey! What are you doing!?" Naota yelled, caught off guard by the woman who still hadn't removed the guitar from where it rested on his forehead, "You did it again! You know what'll happen now."  
  
"It has to come out, Takkun!" Haruko tossed the bass, sending it sliding across the floor of his room, and colliding harshly with the wall. Her free hand grabbed for Naota, and Haruko pulled him violently from his resting- place, shaking him wildly around. Her strength defied logic.  
  
"Hey, no way, not fair!"  
  
"Fair?" Haruko asked, her eyes aflame with some powerful lust. Without another word, Haruko tossed Naota into another corner of his room, and then did a tumbling roll over to her Explorer. She picked up the guitar, and held it up by the neck. "Look who's talking! Now you'll just spout another baddie from that forehead of yours, ne?"  
  
"Hey, it's all YOUR fault! You hit me there!" Naota said, standing up.  
  
"Oh, so?" Haruko said, glancing from her guitar back to Naota a couple of times. "Maybe I will again!"  
  
Naota's eyes widened in fear, and he scrambled for the Azurelgo 4001 that lay on his floor. Managing to grab the guitar just in time, and dodge Haruko's swing, the followthrough still sent him crashing through the wall. Where the side of his room had once been, a gaping hole spat him out, followed by the maniacle alien girl who had spent the night with him.  
  
Naota landed on the grass just near the road, a lucky break if there was one considering how small it was, and rolled onto his feet. He lifted the Rickenbacker Bass he had pulled through with him up, and hefted it. He turned to see Haruko was facing him, twirling her Explorer wildly.  
  
"Haha! Gotcha, Takkun! Now it's all started up."  
  
"What are you trying to do, anyway?"  
  
"Me? Nani? I didn't do a thing!" Haruko smiled innocently at Naota from nearby.  
  
"You just put a hole in my room!"  
  
"Only cause YOU moved!"  
  
"Haruko!" Naota yelled, holding up his Rickenbacker by the neck, like it was a bat. "Enough of this! Just tell me why you're doing all of this, and I'll be able to help you!"  
  
"Hah! Takkun's got a bat!" Haruko laughed, pointing her own EA433 at the Azurelgo Bass she once owned. "You may know how to swing, Takkun, but I'm an old slugger, remember?"  
  
"Try me, Haruko!" Taunted Naota, holding his guitar at ready. Haruko scoffed, spat at the dirt, and rushed at him. Naota held his guitar like he was about to smash a speedball.  
  
Haruko reached him and swung perfectly, but Naota knocked her gutar aside with his own. She spun to swing again, and it connected with nothing but azurelgo colored frame. Naota met haruko blow for blow as she assaulted him viciously with her EA144. Finally, after a crashing connection, Haruko leapt a few feet back and laughed.  
  
"So, Takkun learned a little more about swinging, huh?" Haruko smirked, throwing her Explorer over her shoulder. "Okay, you win, I'll leave."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me, I'm going to get back on my Vespa and fly out of your life again, Takkun." Haruko said, smiling, "It's been fun, ta."  
  
"You... you're leaving?" Naota's eyes widened, and the Rickenbacker in his hands dropped to the floor.  
  
"Yeah, you don't want me here, that's plane to see. I'm leaving you now, Takkun."  
  
"Ha... Haruko..." There was a spark in the air, like electricity making a live connection, but the humming wasn't the same high voltage as a wire. Naota could feel that old bass line one more time, and his body flailed independantly as his forehead began to shimmer with red. It was a symbol that had been there before, and it looked a little brighter than last time.  
  
There was a spark, and then another, and the flesh was stretching. It wasn't like Naota was growing, but it was like something was growing Naota. Something needed out of that head of his once more and it was taking the most open opportunity to bardge throught he door. The first horn was large and square, jutting from Naota's head and up into the air.  
  
The skin grew and changed, and the seams were beginning to tear as the monster escaped its prison. First was a cyllindrical green arm, it's fingers round, black, pudgy things. The palm was black too, but it looked kind of odd, like a speaker or something.  
  
Next was most of a body and a head, and it was plane to see that the sound system on this thign was top notch. It was either a robot or an amplifier shaped like one, it's body a v-shaped box housing a giant, extravagant looking subwhoofer. The thing's head was like a giant LCD encased in a plastic shaped cover that brimmed with other lights and various dials.  
  
It's legs, much like it's arms, were cyllindars colored a forest green, that seemed to connect at the joints by steel ball-sockets. Its feet were shaped like big, green boots with a steel toe colored chrome.  
  
Soon, the monster was all the way out of Naota's head.  
  
"Ow!" Cried Naota, blinded by pain. There was a loud squeal, like a microphone adjusting, and the boys attention shot to the hulking speaker before him. "Ah, now look what you did! How will we fight this alone?"  
  
"Here," said Haruko, "take this."  
  
He looked to his right to see Haruko was holding a guitar, but it wasn't her Cherry Explorer, or his Azurelgo Rickenbacker, but a red Gibson EB0, 1961 Bass. Reluctantly, Naota placed his hand on the guitar, and gripped it. He looked at Haruko, and she nodded.  
  
Naota gripped the neck of the guitar, and faced the robot before him. It stood still, but emitted a loud, resounding boom. Naota felt his ears ring, and his feet move a little under the force of the noise, but he charged forward.  
  
His forst swing was met by one of the monsters massive arms, and surprising he managed to stop the giant speaker from coming down on him. The monster's other hand then appeared alongside Naota and seconds later a loud boom was in his ears. The force of the sound knocked Naota out from under the robot's first swing, and he regained himself easily.  
  
Naota looked at the guitar in his hand, and then at the robot before him. His forehead still glowed red, and with courage he never knew he had, he leapt forward. His feet carried him higher than they should have, and he was in the ari above the monster, ready to bring his guitar down on the beast's head. He landed, and the body of the guitar connected with a humming bass sound. The monster's head caved in.  
  
Below, Haruko stood at the thing's feet, and she had her Explorer ready to swing. Hearing Naota connect, Haruko smiled as she swept the robot's feet out from below him with one solid swing. The robot collapsed, and Naota was causght offgaurd. He hit the groud, and slid along, away from the robot. Seconds after that, the whole thing blew up.  
  
The fireball was accompanied by the humm of a guitar, not the rumble of an explosion. The bass line was freed at last, and the force was enough to knock anyone but Haruko on their ass. Naota looked up as the smoke cleared, and his eyes met a yellow glove, which he gladly accepted. Haruko hefted the boy to his feet, and he saw her face once more. Haruhara Haruko was smiling.  
  
"See what you do?" said Naota, but he couldn't help smiling back.  
  
So, it was all in my head. The bass, I mean. Haruko ahd really been there, and she still is. I'm not sure I know the whole truth, in fact I doubt I ever will. It's just the way things are when Haruko is around.  
  
The street was ruined, but that won't be that way for long. Soon, the broken asphalt will become the norm, and then they will fix it. So, for now, Haruko is amazing again. Her swing is here again. Mabase is getting used to the feel of a thundering guitar riff resounding off of its surface once more.  
  
The color and style and even the model number and year have changed. A lot has changed since then, but things remain the same on the base line. Maybe history will always repeat itself. Maybe Haruko is just part of that cycle.  
  
I'm Nandaba Naota, a boy who was dazzled years ago by a strange girl carrying a bass guitar. It's been years since then, and I'm still Nandaba Naota. Even if I grew up, some things will always be as they were.  
  
So, I guess that's how it is then. Haruko and I went to the store today, on her Vespa, and when we walked out she handed me a drink. It was the kind with the pulp in it, and she had already opened it and taken a sip.  
  
Normally, I would have been mad, but instead I looked at her and said, "Just like last time."  
  
-End-  
  
"Hey, you know modern physics are so advanced that we're capable of actual teleportation! I know that that sounds pretty sci-fi, but science fiction only means they haven't thought of a way to do it yet, right? I still think it looked cooler on Star Trek though."  
  
"Next time on FLCL, episode 2: Up Comes Down. See you on the flipside!" 


	2. Up Comes Down

Up Comes Down  
  
It was one of those days in Mabase that you can't describe, mostly cause it never happened before. It's hard to predict the future, no one around Mabase knew how, that's for sure. The past is a lot easier to predict, and since nothing changes in Mabase, that's the norm, the past could easily be assumed to repeat.  
  
Today was strange, weird, new, and not yet part of the past. In a way, that would be the most normal thing Mabase ever knew, a deviance from routine, and a tribute to the inconsitancies of the whole world. Maybe everyone in town could feel it, and maybe no one could, but the day was a break from the straight path they'd been all following for the years that Haruko had been gone.  
  
The sky was cloudy, and it looked as if it were going to rain. Perhaps to signify the dissaray that was this sudden change of pace, the darkest parts of heaven were gathering like a giant shadow in the sky, ready any time to release themselves to the effects of gravity.  
  
The very first rays of light spilled into Naota's room through closed drapes, the suns reach being unblockable by simple thin cloth. The sunlight seemed to make a gravity of it's own, only sticking to the parts of Naota's room that it felt like. Naota's eyes cracked open ever so slightly, and he saw Haruko was still lying next to him.  
  
She had probably been pretty tired after the day before... well, then again, it could have just been laziness. He smiled at her. She was the same as he always remembered that much he knew from the days before. Selfish, rude, obnoxious, loud... by far the biggest mockery of a housekeeped Naota had ever met in his entire life.  
  
Still, she looked kinda cute sprawled out on his bed there, snoring like a chainsaw. Naota's eyes narrowed. The other day, Haruko had woken him up in a less-than-comfortable way. Maybe he could turn the tables.  
  
Nao slowly moved to slide himself over Haruko so that he could get out of the bunk bed, but as soon as he shifted, her yellow eyes shot open. "Takkun!" With that, Naota was pinned back to his bed. Oh well, maybe next time.  
  
Haruko was staring slyly into Naota's eyes, her leg strattled over him, and her chest pressed against his. Their noses were practically touching, and Haruko thought it was just so cute how helpless he looked. "So, Takkun, how's about a little mouth-to-mouth to start the day?"  
  
"You know I won't..."  
  
"And WHY not?" Haruko asked, pressing her lips closer to Naota's head. He turned his face away as best he could, blushing fiercely and angrilly. He wasn't really mad at Haruko, but he was unhappy about the situation.  
  
It was one of those things where swinging might not be worth it. The ball would likely be foul anyhow. As much as Naota wanted to kiss her, he knew it would be for all the wrong reasons on Haruko's end. While Naota was a compassionate, understanding human being for the most part, or at least he thought, Haruko was not a human being even.  
  
He didn't know whether her lips tingled the same way his did when they were together, or if he tasted as sweet to her as she did to him. For god's sake, Naota couldn't even be sure Haruko saw the world through an even vaguely human perspective.  
  
No matter how long his obsession lasted, Naota couldn't let the alien girl draw him in too far just to be incincere in the end. As much as Haruko meant to Naota, he knew well that he was being used.  
  
"Because, it's not just about fooly cooly with me... whatever that must mean to you," said Naota.  
  
"Takkun," Haruko sighed, pressing her lips to his cheek and giving it a quick peck, "Don't you like me anymore, Naota-kun?"  
  
"Of course." Naota said.  
  
"Then why don't you let me give you a little CPR? I'm willing," said Haruko, pushing her lips so close now to Naota's that he could feel them brushing together ever so slightly.  
  
"Because, Haruko," he huffed, "It's not that simple."  
  
"Tell me then, what's it like?" Haruko said sweetly, batting her eyes a couple of times at the teenager below her.  
  
"I don't know..." Naota tried to force his face away from Haruko's, finding it harder than it should have been to get out from under the trim girl who was pinning him.  
  
"You should!" Haruko persisted, trying to get Naota to face her.  
  
"Come on, stop." Naota said, giving up his struggling.  
  
"Just one?" Haruko asked, trying her best to sound needy.  
  
"No!" Naota shouted.  
  
"Come on, Takkun... just a little." Haruko's lips brushed Naota's ear, and he shivered.  
  
"Will you get off of me then?" Naota was losing the fight fast, and he could feel it. It was all getting to the point where he didn't care. He just wanted to give in, and give Haruko that mouth-to-mouth she was pretending to want.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Without thinking Naota pressed his lips to Haruko's, feeling her soft mouth against his for the first time in nearly a decade. The feeling was sensational. It was like electricity flowing from his toes to his feet, up his leg and back and through his spine straight to the top of his... uh-oh.  
  
Naota pulled away from Haruko, and she was smiling at him widely. He couldn't help but smile back, but before he had time to be happy or sad or anything about the kiss, a searing pain shot to his forehead. His eyes shot alert.  
  
"Owowow!" He screamed, clamping his hands to his forehead.  
  
"What's the matter, Naota?" Haruko gasped, pulling away from him, and sitting up on the bed.  
  
"What do you mean 'What's the matter'? You should know! You always do this!" Naota yelled back, his forehead still throbbing.  
  
"It's not me." Haruko said, her mouth hanging open.  
  
"What are you saying? Stop lying for once and tell me what you're up to with all these things!"  
  
"I told you, I didn't do it."  
  
"I can't believe we've known eachother so long, and you still lie to me! I hate you sometimes, dammit." Naota growled, and shook his throbbing head, "Well. not hate, but I don't like being lied to."  
  
"I know that, Naota-kun, and I'm sorry. But it's not me!"  
  
Suddenly, naota's flesh stretched outward, and a spike-like horn emerged from his skin. It quickly decided its position on his skull, and then it fixed itself in an oblong cube, and began to re-define its skin tone to a jet black. Soon, little white numbers appeared on the side, reading '10'. It appeared as if a weight had just been lodged into Naota's skull, and to enforce that, his head dropped to his bed with a quiet thud.  
  
"Gosh, that's not mine at all..."  
  
"Stop lying!" Naota's voice was muffled by his bed's blankets.  
  
"I'm not lying, dammit!"  
  
"Prove it!"  
  
"I didn't HIT you!"  
  
There were moments of awkward silence, as Naota's head remained burried in the mattress. It was the truth... it was the honest truth. She hadn't struck him since the last robot, not even once.  
  
"I'm sorry, Har..."  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Haruko, helping Naota lift his head, "It looks like a weight."  
  
"Haruko, do you really not know what's going on?"  
  
"I really hate to have to say this, but this is as weird to me as it is to you..." very carefully, Haruko prodded the weight with her index finger.  
  
"Ow!" Naota screamed.  
  
"I'm sorry!" said Haruko, and Naota couldn't believe his ears.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm... sorry?" Haruko asked, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"I've NEVER heard you say that."  
  
"Well, I've never seen anything like this before... well, things like it, but never without warning or a trigger." Haruko scratched her chin in thought, "I know it must hurt, but can you press it down?"  
  
"I'll try..." Naota said slowly, still recovering from the shock of Haruko apologizing. Carefully, he pressed his hands to the top of the weight, and pushed. With a searing pain, the weight popped down, and was covered by skin. "Ow! Quick, get me a bandaid."  
  
"On it." Haruko leapt off the bed, and ran to the bathroom, emerging moments later with the bandaid. With care (something Haruko rarely practiced), she placed the bandaid over the skin where Naota was holding down the weight. It held. "Better?"  
  
"My head still feels... heavy..."  
  
"I don't think I can do anything about that."  
  
"I understand." Naota said, "Hey haruko... if you didn't do this, who did?"  
  
"I guess I don't know," said Haruko, and her voice sounded pained.  
  
"Then what will we do?" Asked Naota, worriedly.  
  
"The same thing we always do, I guess, Takkun." They exchanged a smile.  
  
------  
  
I felt different after that morning. I could tell I was wrong about Haruko. Maybe she hadn't changed on the outside, but something was different in her. Even though she had thrown me the same string of lies as last time, I knew she wasn't lying when she said it wasn't her fault that weight-shaped horn had sprouted.  
  
It scared me to think of who else might be using my head, or what would pop out of there next. I guess it frightened me because it was new, just like the first horn had scared me. I was so used to Haruko leading the way on these kinds of things I had no clue what to do when she was as lost as I was.  
  
And it shocked me to no end when I sensed from the woman I've wanted since I was a little boy, and known I couldn't have since I grew up, just the slightest hint of compassion. I realized then and there that things weren't a mirror image of the past. The thought that Haruko was around, and I was still vulnerable was scary in the long run. I have to say that my emotions, as well as my actions, were beginning to confuse me.  
  
I had woken up that morning with a lot more weight on my shoulders.  
  
------  
  
"So, Naota, what's with that thing?" Eri was something else. She wasn't anyone Naota would call a friend, not because he didn't like her or anything, but because she treated him strangely for a friend. Sometimes it was like she liked him or something, but she never really acted like that enough for Naota to make heads or tails of it.  
  
Maybe she was just using him the same way Haruko had once... well, maybe, but maybe not. Naota knew she did once, but after the morning's revelation with Haruko, he had his doubts that anything actually was as it seemed. It was beginning to occur to Naota that he had spent too much time focussing on his own changes to observe anything else.  
  
Naota placed his hand very delicately over the bandaid, feeling the soft, rubbery surface of the peach colored square of anti-bacterial protection. "It's nothing."  
  
"You're lying to me, Naota," said Eri, slyly, "I remember, you used to wear things like that a lot."  
  
"Look, it's really no big deal." Naota urged, sounding a little bit annoyed. They were sitting on the steps of Eri's house, a two-story home that was like a palace compared to Naota's own abode. He wasn't sure why he always went over there... since Haruko had left all that time ago, he and Eri had become rather good friends, and whenever she called he'd usually come over and they'd hang out for a while.  
  
The rainclouds were still dwelling bleakly in Mabase's skys, and their blackness would overshadow the sun sometimes, making an artificial kind of night. Naota knew it would rain soon, but hardly cared.  
  
"You're such a horrid liar." Eri said, punching Naota's shoulder, "You know, I know your street was destroyed the other day. What was that all about? That girl... the Vespa girl, she's back, huh?"  
  
"Well..." Naota nervously scratched at the back of his head, "Yeah. I wasn't going to bring it up, but she showed up. I didn't want to upset you, I know you didn't like her very much last time. It's not like I invited her."  
  
"You're happy she's back though, right?"  
  
"Well," naota sighed, trying to think of what to say, "I don't know. I guess I did kinda miss her... a litte."  
  
"You're so full of it."  
  
"Hey, you know what...?" Naota trailed off, turning and narrowing his eyes at Eri. She giggled.  
  
Suddenly, there was a clap of thunder. The clouds had picked just the perfect time to speak, and without a seconds more hesitation, water began to fall, dispersing harshly on the earth, which pulled them to the lowest points it could find, drawing in each droplet like some kind of hungry beast.  
  
"Naota, you should come inside the house for once. No one is home, we could watch TV or at least sit on chairs. It'd be nicer than getting soaked." It was true Naota usually refused to enter Eri's house. It wasn't that he did not want to go in, or anything. He just felt awkward going into the household of Mabase's mayor. Naota glanced around nervously. Well, it was better than walking around in the rain. Then again...  
  
"Nah, I don't think..."  
  
"Come on in, Naota, or I'll be mad at you." Eri said, grabbing Naota by the cuff of his sweatshirt, and pulling on him. Her grip was much more delicate than Haruko's, but something about her weak grip made him more drawn to entering the house. Finally, Naota stood up, and gave Eri a haphazard smile.  
  
"Fine, okay."  
  
With a little giggle, Eri pulled Naota along very lightly, opening the door and leading him in. The front room of the huge house was an entryway lined with doors. Opposite the door to the yard was a hallway, with a staircase on its right leading up into the top of the house. "This is exciting! We've known eachother for years, and you've never even been past this part of the house. I want to show you my room!"  
  
Naota followed Eri as she bounced her way into the hallway and up the stairs. At the peak of the stairs was another hallway, running the opposite horizon of the one below. She pulled Naota left down the hall to a door with a blue and yellow etch-a-sketch reading "Eri-chan's room" on it. Naota rolled his eyes. Normal girls were so cheesy.  
  
Eri opened the door to reveal a comfortable little room. There was a large bed tucked to one corner, covered in pillows and blue blankets, and adorned with just a couple of teddy-bears. The room was painted blue, and the windowsill was a white color, and the blinds were drawn so that light couldn't filter in all the way. The room was very cozy.  
  
Eri ushered Naota in, and then she stepped around him, taking a seat on her bed. She smiled at him, and patted next to her for him to sit down. Naota abliged, slinking over to her blue bed, taking a seat next to her.  
  
"So, like my room, Naota-kun?"  
  
"Naota-kun?" Naota asked, "That's new."  
  
"Hey, so what, I can't call you Naota-kun? I bet that girl on the Vespa does."  
  
"No, you can," said Naota, simply, "I just didn't think you would."  
  
"Oh," Eri thought for a second, and then decided to change the subject, "So,if she's back, is that why that thing is on your head?"  
  
"It might have something to do with her, but it's not her fault this time." Naota said, "See, she didn't want this one there."  
  
"What is with it then?"  
  
"We don't know yet."  
  
"Do you think another one of those things will come around, like last time?" Eri asked, frowning.  
  
"I dunno... I'd bet that it will though." Naota sighed, falling backwards on Eri's bed. "This is a comfortable bed."  
  
"So, what, you back in the robot fighting biz? Protecting the town?" Eri asked, leaning back on her elbow, and smiling at Naota.  
  
"It wasn't me, remember? It was Canti all along, I was just ammo." Naota said, darkly, "Being used, just like every other time."  
  
"Well, what about when the sattalite was falling, or when that big red bird appeared?" Eri said, placing her hand on Naota's like she always had when she was trying to get something important across to him, "It was you all of those times."  
  
"It was all no big deal."  
  
"It thought it was kinda cool, actually." Eri said, and she immediately blushed. "I mean... you know, you saved the whole town."  
  
"I never would have been able to without Haruko."  
  
"The Vespa Woman?" Eri asked, raising an eyebrow, "Well, you know, with or without her, Naota. You were amazing."  
  
"Eri?" Naota looked up at her from where he lay on her blue bed. The girl was smiling at him, and staring into his eyes. She looked a little like she was sad, about to cry or something. Then, she started to lean towards him. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, come on Naota," Eri said, letting her whole body rest up against his. Her face was nearing his, and Naota was both nervous and confused by the whole thing. "We've been best friends for three years, this was bound to come up."  
  
"What do you mean?" Best friends? Was that what they were? Naota's head spun a litte, and he was beginning to tremble. How could he have been so naieve? Of course they were friends, he was over there with her so often... but...  
  
"I'll show you." With what seemed like a reluctant motion, Eri pressed quivering lips to her friend's mouth. Noata was too shocked to move or kiss or fooly cooly or anything. He just lay still there, with Ninamori Eri, the mayor's daughter, kissing him. After a moment, Eri pulled back, her eyes glazed with fear, and she gave Naota a pleading look.  
  
She looked about to cry, and Naota knew he had to do something. "Eri, don't take it the wrong way. I was just surprised." Naota said, trying to appease his friend.  
  
"Then what's wrong?"  
  
"It's just sudden, that's all." Naota said, his heart racing. He was always a bit interested in Eri, but she couldn't have picked a worse time. With Haruko around, things like romance weren't nearly achievable.  
  
"Just sudden, eh? Does that mean... you're not mad?" Eri asked, narrowing her eyes slyly at Naota. Her little pointed nose was tounching his, and Naota knew what she wanted. Eri was accustomed to getting what she wanted, too.  
  
"No, I'm not mad." Agreed Nao. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't just push Eri off of him, and part of him even wanted to kiss her too, but something held him back. Things were already so complex.  
  
"Then let's try it again." Eri persisted pushing her lips against Naota's once more. He returned the kiss, feeling a little electric under Eri's lips. This time, she didn't stop. Naota watched, still a bit amazed, as Eri closed her eyes and let her mouth keep pressing at his, kissing deeply, and passonately.  
  
Naota had done things like this before, with a girl he knew a long time ago down by the river. Mamimi had always kissed him like that, but Mamimi's kisses lacked something that Eri's had. Eri made Naota feel like kissing back, and with hunger to match her own.  
  
Soon, the two were lost to eachother's mouths. Eri threw a leg over Naota, straddling him much like Haruko always liked to do. Something was growing in Naota, and he was falling into a trap of his own creation. With nothing on his mind but the teenage girl above him, Naota rolled over, placing Eri below his body.  
  
He learned one thing from Haruko, some risks, some swings had to be taken, whether they were hits or misses. Naota pushed the fingers on his right hand up through violet hair, feeling the silky softness of Eri's head to be quite relaxing. She moaned softly into his mouth, and he felt a shiver.  
  
Then, something Naota hadn't expected happened, to put it ironically. He felt something snake along his leg, and before he had time to relax, he realized where Eri's hand had landed. A shock ran from Naota's feet to his spine and straight to his head.  
  
"Owowow!"  
  
"Oh my gosh, did I hurt you?" Naota leapt off of Eri, landing beside her on the bed. He clutched the band-aid on his forehead and shivered. "Oh, it's that?"  
  
"Yeah, I don't know what happened. It hurt right when you..."  
  
Eri blushed, knowing exactly what Naota was talking about. She was only doing what she had wanted to do. She was 17 years old, and home alone with a young boy who she had loved since the 6th grade, it was only natural.  
  
Naota tried to lift his head, but it was unexpectedly heavy. Adjusting to the weight, Naota finally managed to sit up straight, and he sat still for a moment, getting his bearings. The pain faded, but Naota could feel the weight in his skull.  
  
"Are you okay?" Eri asked, looking worried.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine now," said Naota.  
  
"Oh..." There were moments of silence, and then Eri blushed once more. Naota gave her a look, and she responded by saying, "We can go on then, right?"  
  
Without anymore words, Eri was immediately ontop of Naota once more.  
  
-----  
  
I guess it was just a little bit weird. Ninamori and I fooled around on her bed for a couple of hours, and then she told me I had to go so that I wasn't around when her father got back. I got up to leave, and she kissed me on the lips, very softly. I didn't know what I was doing, so I just kissed back.  
  
It was so different, doing that kind of thing with Eri. I had felt something when her lips were against mine that I never felt before. It was strange, and pure. Like something about the way she kissed showed a new emotion I never got from Haruko or Mamimi.  
  
I think it was that Eri was kissing Naota, not Takkun. That, and she was kissing Naota for a better reason. The nearer I got to home, the havier my head weighed. I was hoping I'd see Haruko near the bridge, but she was nowhere in sight. I figured that it'd be faster to get home on the Vespa. It was, afterall, faster to get anywhere on the Vespa.  
  
The rain was pouring down, and it only reminded me that gravity had a hold of me. I was helpless under my own weight, sluggish, and barely moving. Something inside me was holding me back, and I couldn't see well enough, or muster enough strength to move forward strongly.  
  
I knew my head could not be empty anymore, because if it were it wouldn't have felt like a lead weight. The more the people around me contributed to the problems I faced, the more weight I carried on my shoulders. Part of me wanted the horn to sprout right then and there.  
  
When I finally got home, it was time for dinner. I was soaked. My head felt like it was heavier than the whole Earth.  
  
-----  
  
"Ah, Naota-kun, just in time! We're having curry, in honor of Haruko-san returning to us," said Kamon, cheerfully. Haruko, Kamon and Naota's grandfather were all seated at the table, chomping painfully away at the spicy rice-like substance in their bowls.  
  
Naota smiled, "I hate that stuff." He said as he took a seat. His bowl was already full and waiting.  
  
"Well, you're a big boy, so I didn't get you the mild kind." Haruko said, winking at Naota. He rolled his eyes, grabbing his spoon and shoveling into the spicy curry. He put the spoon to his nose, and sniffed. A spicy thrill ran up Naota's sinuses, and for a second his head became even harder than it was to hold up, even with that lead weight in there.  
  
"Naw, I don't need that stuff," said Naota, taking a bite, "Doesn't mean I have to like this stuff." Naota felt his eyes water as he stomached the burning curry. Spicy things weren't any fun for him, but it wasn't so bad. If he ate it without complaining, Haruko wouldn't insist on it every night.  
  
"Yeah, I got a new recepy for Curry Bread, too, Takkun!" Haruko announced, leanign over the table. Her bowl was already empty, "And it's completely fooly cooly."  
  
"Fooly... cooly...?" Kamon asked, raising one eyebrow. Naota set his spoon down, knowing that the conversation could get physical in the most uncomfortable of ways any second. It always did. "Aha! So I see, that must be some kind of code. You two aren't sneaking something around, are you? Hmmm?"  
  
"Oh, of COURSE not, Mon-chan." Haruko mused, batting her eyelids.  
  
"Ah, you cannot hide these things from me!" Kamon announced, trowing his hand to he air.  
  
"Will you shut up!?" Yelled Grandpa, "It's bad enough I have to eat leftovers instead of Haruko's curry, and you're here griping about this and that. You always were a whiner."  
  
"Noodles, Grandpa?" Naota asked, looking up from his curry. His face was boiling just from the couple of bites he had taken.  
  
"Maybe Grandpa's as much of a lightweight as you are, huh Takkun?" Haruko said, smartly, chewing on a bite of curry.  
  
"No, it's a gastro-intestinal thing," explained Grandpa, chewing a mouthfull of noodle, "If eat that spicy stuff, I'll be in the bathroom all night."  
  
"Sorry I asked..." Noata shrugged, and returned to his curry.  
  
"Rrrr..." meanwhile, Kamon was fuming red. He clenched his fist, slammed it on the table, and shouted, "Don't try to change the subject! You two still haven't explained yourselves."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Naota asked, setting his spoon down again, and giving Kamon a strange look.  
  
"Don't give me that!" Yelled Kamon, "You know very well what I'm talking about!"  
  
"Oh, Takkun, he knows!" Cried Haruko, throwing her arms around Naota. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Do you plan these things?" He asked them.  
  
"Ah, so it's a plan!" Kamon yelled.  
  
"I can't win this, can I?" Naota chuckled, letting his eyes settle on Haruko who was busy hiding her face in his chest.  
  
"What?! What do I know?! Are you two doing perverted things behind my back again!"  
  
"She does just as many perverted things in front of your back, dad." Naota laughed, stuffing more curry into his mouth. Kamon picked up a magazine off the table, and slapped Naota's head with it, causing him to choke on his curry.  
  
"These lies will not do, Naota!" yelled Kamon, "Come clean now! You can't hide these things from me."  
  
Naota coughed a couple of times until the curry dislodged itself from the odd angle it kept in his throat. He looked angrilly up at Kamon, and said, "Hey, look, she's the one who's being all perverted all the time, not me."  
  
"Naota, we cannot hide our love from Mon-chan any longer!" Haruko was over- acting again, throwing more drama than needed by a whole acting school into one line. "Let's run away together, and elope!"  
  
"What!!" Kamon yelled, gritting his teeth together. "So, running away with an older woman, eh Naota-kun?"  
  
"Look, the only place I'm going is my room." Naota said, standing up. "Knowing you guys, I'd say Haruko will follow me in a half an hour, when you shut up about fooly cooly."  
  
"So, Naota-kun, running away I see?" Kamon said, smiling widely, "You'll never get away with this! I know your tricks!"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Takkun, take me away from here!"  
  
"Hey, let go!" Haruko had latched herself to Naota's legs, keeping him from moving at all.  
  
"See you two?" Kamon laughed triumfantly, "Fooly Coolying all over the place like some kind of... something that... fooly coolys..."  
  
The night went on in that manner. Eventually, Kamon got tired of arguing about fooly cooly, or whatever it was, and he decided to walk off to watch Trigun for awhile.  
  
Naota climbed the stairs to his room, Haruko only steps behind him. He heard her yawn loudly.  
  
"I noticed you're carrying your head a little weird, Naota-kun. Did something happen today?" Haruko asked. He could hear that little edge of sympathy in her voice again, and it made his neck kind of tickly.  
  
"Well, it got heavier, that's for sure." Naota didn't know why, but he felt like he couldn't tell Haruko about Eri. It seemed like it'd upset her, why was beyond him. It wasn't like Haruko really cared about anything but herself.  
  
"Why? Did it just happen all the sudden?"  
  
"It happened well I was at Eri's." Naota said, shrugging. He sat down on his bed, leaning his back against the wall. "It's been tiring to carry this thing around all day. I'm wiped out."  
  
"So, you were just sitting around and it got heavier."  
  
"Well," Naota paused for a moment, "Yeah, yeah that's it."  
  
"Weird."  
  
"It's even weirder to hear you say that word so sincerely." They both shared a quick laugh.  
  
"Come stand up next to me, Naota." Haruko commanded, waving the boy to get up.  
  
"Haruko, I'm too tired to stand."  
  
"Come on, Naota, real quick?" Haruko pleaded. Naota sighed, and then stood up. He walked across the room, and stood before Haruko.  
  
"Wow, you've really grown, Takkun." Haruko said, smiling and walking around the boy. He was a little taller than her now.  
  
"You haven't changed."  
  
"I know, why should I?" Haruko chuckled, "I like me how I am."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"You don't act like it sometimes." Haruko said. Naota felt his heart sink, and apparently Haruko knew it. "Takkun, don't worry, I won't leave you again."  
  
Haruko stepped close to Naota, putting her arms around him, "Afterall, you've become such a strong boy."  
  
"Haruko..." Naota said, softly. He felt something beginning to tingle in his spine, but he payed it no mind. The alien girl before him was acting strangely intoxicating.  
  
"Hey, now you've grown up so much, maybe you deserve this," said Haruko, smiling slyly. Then, she kissed him. It took Naota off guard, but it wasn't so weird to be kissed by Haruko. Then, suddenly, something shocked him. It felt like he wa beign kissed by Eri again.  
  
Naota kissed back, feeling something weird in his whole body. Was Haruko kissing him because she wanted to? Or was it another one of her games? For the first time, Haruko's CPR felt real. Naota was trembling again, and another electric surge ran from his feet to his head.  
  
"Owww!" Yelled Naota, braking the kiss, and clapping his hands to his head.  
  
"Hey, you okay? That was a really good kiss, Takkun... been practicing?" Haruko joked, looking at Naota sympathetically. The pain was no real danger, not until anything sprouted anyway, so it was best to just let it happen.  
  
Then, Naota raised his head up to look at Haruko again, but something was wrong. He didn't stop, and his whole head and body went tumbling backwards, straight into his window. Naota flopped over the edge, and through the balcony, out onto the street below, leaving a gaping hole where he hit.  
  
"Naota!" Yelled Haruko, rushing to the hole he had made and looking down at the fallen Naota.  
  
Naota pushed himself up from the ground below, and his head was throbbing. It was so heavy, he thought his neck would snap. He looked up at Haruko, and tried to smile, but then the band-aid fell off.  
  
It was more sudden than anything, and twice as bizarre as Mabase city had ever seen as the horn shot outward. It was black allright, just like a big weight, but now it said '100' instead of '10'. Naota was flung away by whatever it was that had emerged from his skull.  
  
The new robot stood up, thudding the ground with each motion of its massive feet. Its head was the black 100-pound weight, and its body was shaped like an anvil. A large dumbell ran through the 'shoulder' parts of the anivil, and green robotic arms laced in purple gel were attached to them. The robot's Anivil torso sat atop a pair of green robotic hips and legs. Its right fist was a hand, but it's left seemed to be a gargantuan hammer. The bots head spun, until rather than the number '100' facing Naota, a set of goggle-like red lenses were glowing at him like menacing eyes.  
  
It was still torrenting down rain outside, and each dropplet was bouncing off the metal of the robot's arms and legs, making noises like a thousand pins being dropped all at once.  
  
Canti, their robot housekeeper, who happened to be beating out the futons on the balcony, had leapt off of the house and was standing on the ground near the robot. Canti punched at the larger bot, but his hand stopped uselessly.  
  
Much like a fly, the larger robot batter Canti to the side, sending him crashing through one of the walls of Naota's house.  
  
"Naota!" Naota turned his head until he could see Haruko, who tossed the Gibson EB0 to him. He cought it. The robot was hulking forward slowly, and before it had nearly reached him, Haruko was by his side with the EA1433 Explorer. "That things weird, I've never seen a robot like it. It's not Medical Mechanica."  
  
"Who could it be then?"  
  
"I don't know! Now's not the time, let's take it out. It's slow, so it might be easy." Haruko urged, rushing forward. She was nearly ready to hit the beast, when a flash of purple light shot out around it. Naota could see Haruko was surrounded, along with the robot, in a gigantic sphere of purple, and Haruko's guitar suddenly slammed to the ground, cracking the pavement.  
  
"Haruko, what's wrong?" Naota called. He watched as Haruko pulled at her guitar a couple of times, unable to lift it.  
  
"Everything just got really heavy!" Haruko yelled back, giving up trying to lift her guitar. With all her alien might, Haruko began to 'dash' as fast as it was possible through the purple mist of energy.  
  
"What do we do?"  
  
"Come help!" Haruko yelled. Naota rushed forward, stopping at the edge of the purple haze. The robot was about 50 feet inside the globe of purple. Naota gulped, and stepped in.  
  
His Gibson EB0 immediately slammed to the ground, weighing more than 10 times what it normally did, easily. He tugged to no avail. The robot was closing in on him, and its hammer was aimed directly over him. It had apparently paid no heed to the nearly immobile Haruko. Each little drop of rain felt like a separate little hammer pounding on Naota, and it didn't help. As the hammer came down, Naota was able to muster just enough strength to step out of the way. Allthough he felt the shock of the hammer just inches from his guitar, it wasn't even enough to rip his feet from the ground and knock him over.  
  
"You can do it Naota! You have to lift the guitar!"  
  
Naota struggled, finally raising the guitar up, just in time to defend himself from the next blow from the machine. He tumbled with all the weight. He didn't even notice his forehead glowing a bright red.  
  
Naota hefted the guitar to swing again, but it slammed back down to the ground.  
  
"It's too heavy!" Naota yelled back.  
  
"You have to! It's going to kill you if you don't!" Haruko was screaming hysterically, another first time for an emotion from the alien, as far as Naota knew.  
  
"Come help!" Naota heard Haruko thudding over to him. She slipped under the robots legs as smoothly as she could, and stuggled over to Naota. She stood behind him, like they were practicing batting, and helped him lift the guitar up. They stood together, ready to swing, and it took all they had to hold the bat. The robot was nearing them slowly but surely, and there was no option but to go for it.  
  
"Ready?" Haruko asked, her lips on Naota's ear.  
  
"Yeah..." Naota took a deep breath, and got ready to swing. "Tasuku," he whispered, and the light on his head grew brighter. With power no human could muster, Naota and Haruko moved together, lifting the guitar high, and slamming it back to the ground in front of the monster in one clean swing.  
  
The overly-sturdy guitar strummed its warcry, and the street mimicked a wave out at sea. The rolling carpet of asphalt reached the robots feet, and sent it flying into the air. Haruko and Naota stumbled and gasped for breath as they returned to their normal weights.  
  
"Now go get it!" Haruko yelled.  
  
"How? It's too high!" complained Naota, still gasping.  
  
"You can make it!" Haruko said, grabbing the back of his shirt, and tossing him into the air with impressive strength. His flight easily overcame the robot, sending him high above the creature who was still enveloped in its purple gravity shield, and he wonder why it had impeded Haruko so much with arms like that.  
  
Naota realized he was above the robot, and his guitar was still with him. It was rainign hard, especially up so high, and Naota couldn't decipher the best course of action. Doing the only thing he could think to do, Naota hurled the guitar southward, watching it hit the putple shield and accelerate two-fold immediately. The speeding bass slammed down on the lead skull of the robot below, and the bot cracked down the center.  
  
The weight fell in half, coming off the 'neck' of the bot, and immediately falling victim to the effects of gravity. The heavy metal began to plummit Earthword, and the rest of the robot was following fast. Naota wondered if he'd land okay himself.  
  
Before he had a chance to hit the ground though, he felt hands grabbing his shoulders. He turned his head to see Canti hovering next to him.  
  
Back on the ground below, Haruko was scrambling for the EA1433 Explorer she had discarded from the wieght it had gained moments earlier. She was just able to scramble across the shattered asphalt in time to recover her instrument and get out of the way before the robot returned to the ground, sending shockwaves through the surface of the little city. Naota watched the street below as car windows shattered from the shock.  
  
"Canti, take me down, it's safe now!" Naota urged, but the robot remained in the air, it's television like face virtually expressionless. It seemed to be gazing downward, and Noata turned his gaze back to Haruko.  
  
The alien girl had dashed back to the destroyed robot, where she proceeded to lodge her guitar under a loose bit between the bot and the ground. Naota hadn't gotten much chance to consider what Haruko was up to before she pushed down on the neck of her guitar, the leverage acting like a catapult, sending the robot skyward.  
  
The hunk of metal rushed past Naota and Canti, missing them by mere inches, and it sped off into the sky above, showing up as little more than a twinkle in the distance to Naota's eyes.  
  
Canti then proceeded to let himself descend towards the Earth below, at a much slower velocity than the other robot had. He landed smoothly, setting Naota down. It was only now, after the adrenalin was gone, that Naota realized how wobbly his legs felt with all the extra weight gone. He felt as though he weighed even less than he had before the horn had appeared.  
  
"Haruko, what just happened?" Naota asked her, as if he didn't know. She looked at him blankly. Her clothes were sopping from the vicious rain falling around them. His were too.  
  
"It went up."  
  
"Well, what about when it comes down?" Naota urged, "That's what I mean, what if it does more damage?"  
  
"If it does come down," said Haruko, "It'll be a different down. That thing's not on this planet in any form of the expression anymore. There are places where gravity doesn't work, you know?"  
  
"Ha..." Naota smiled, and then he laughed loudly. He couldn't help himself.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"It's just the things you do, Haruko."  
  
"Well, a kid like you shouldn't have that kind of weight on his shoulders, so I sent it all packing." Haruko said, smiling, "Can't expect you to carry around that much, just cause you're so grown up."  
  
"Don't want weight on my shoulders, huh?" Naota asked, "Then tell me the truth, Haruko. Why are you back here?"  
  
"So you want to know the truth?" Haruko said, smiling, "Well, then first I'm going to have to have another one of those great kisses, Takkun."  
  
"Oh brother," said Naota, glumly, "So, another kiss, like before, and you swear you'll tell?"  
  
"I swear it on my heart, my beloved!" Haruko mused, taking Naota in her arms once more.  
  
"You're way too dramatic, you know?"  
  
"Shut up and make with the mouth-to-mouth, Takkun," huffed Haruko. They kissed again, and it didn't feel quite the same as it had a while ago. Something was there that hadn't been there before, and Naota could just barely tell what it was - added gravity.  
  
The rain stopped before they were through.  
  
------  
  
So, the bandaid was gone again, and Haruko and I were once again living the most normal life we could. I dind't know what to do about Eri, but I was sure I'd figure it out eventually. At the time, that didn't matter. I knew something would come up eventually, and I was going to have to decide what it was I really felt.  
  
These kinds of feelings are tough, and I don't think that's a question of maturity. It's hard to tell sometimes who's using who, and I guess, in a way, Haruko, Eri, and I were all using eachother. I suppose being used doesn't necessarily mean without feeling.  
  
Something about those two girls made me understand that they weren't there for no reason. They weren't with me just to break my heart, or take advantage of me, or anything like that... even if that was part of it.  
  
The problem was trying to decide why I was there.  
  
After we kissed, Haruko made good on her promise. It sounded like another lie, and I couldn't be sure yet, but my instincts told me that Haruko's voice spoke sincerity. She told me a lot of things I didn't get yet, but she said I would soon. What was most important, and easiest to understand was that Haruko was here for a different reason than last time... the entire planet was in danger, and it had something to do with Tasuku. My brother.  
  
So, I guess maybe not ALL the weight had been lifted.  
  
I asked Haruko why she decided to be so nice to me all the sudden, and she just smiled and said, "It's actually true Takkun... you can kiss."  
  
-End-  
  
"Well, you can't put too much acclaim on the Lita Ford version, but it was especially nice when Reel Big Fish did it. You see, just cause someone can't rock doesn't mean they can't write. She may have been a junkie, but that was genuis. I think the RBF version was only better cause of the quicker pace, but the biggest problem was that it ended too soon. Some things just can't be perfect."  
  
"Next time on FLCL, Episode 3: 100 Beats/Second! So keep in time!" 


End file.
